The probability of a fatal crash rises significantly after 0.05 percent blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and even more rapidly after 0.08 percent.
Zador, P.L.; Krawchuck, S.; and Voas, R.B. 2000. Alcohol-related relative risk of driver fatalities and driver involvement in fatal crashes in relation to driver age and gender: an update using 1996 data. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 61:387-95.Voas, R.B.; Torres, P.; Romano, E.; and Lacey, J.H. 2012. Alcohol-related risk of driver fatalities: an update using 2007 data. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 73(3):341-350.

Drivers with very high BACs (at or above 0.15 percent) have a very high risk of dying in a crash or getting severely injured.
Zador, P.L.; Krawchuck, S.; and Voas, R.B. 2000. Alcohol-related relative risk of driver fatalities and driver involvement in fatal crashes in relation to driver age and gender: an update using 1996 data. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 61:387-95.,Peck, R.C.; Gebers, M.A.; Voas, R.B.; and Romano, E. 2008. The relationship between blood alcohol concentration (BAC), age, and crash risk. Journal of Safety Research 39:311-19. All states have laws making it a crime to drive with a BAC at or above 0.08 percent. Utah passed a law making it a crime to drive with a BAC at or above 0.05 percent. This law will take effect on Dec. 30, 2018.

Substantial progress was made from 1982 to the mid-1990s in reducing the numbers and proportion of fatally injured drivers with BACs at or above 0.08 percent. However, little subsequent progress has been made, and alcohol-impaired driving is still a major problem. Institute research estimated that 7,082 deaths would have been prevented in 2010 if all drivers with BACs of 0.08 percent or higher were kept off the roads.
Lund, A.K.; McCartt, A.T.; and Farmer, C.M. 2012. Contribution of alcohol-impaired driving to motor-vehicle crash deaths in 2010. Arlington, VA: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Applying the same methods yields an estimate of 7,426 preventable deaths if all drivers with BACs of 0.08 percent or higher were kept off the roads in 2017.

At the same BAC, drivers younger than 21 are far more likely than older drivers to get into a fatal or nonfatal crash.
Zador, P.L.; Krawchuck, S.; and Voas, R.B. 2000. Alcohol-related relative risk of driver fatalities and driver involvement in fatal crashes in relation to driver age and gender: an update using 1996 data. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 61:387-95.Voas, R.B.; Torres, P.; Romano, E.; and Lacey, J.H. 2012. Alcohol-related risk of driver fatalities: an update using 2007 data. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs 73(3):341-350.Peck, R.C.; Gebers, M.A.; Voas, R.B.; and Romano, E. 2008. The relationship between blood alcohol concentration (BAC), age, and crash risk. Journal of Safety Research 39:311-19. The minimum drinking age is 21 throughout the United States. In addition, all states have "zero tolerance" laws that prohibit people younger than 21 from driving after drinking. In recent years, drivers younger than 21 killed in crashes are about half as likely as fatally injured drivers ages 21-30 to have a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher.

The information in this fact sheet is based on data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia with imputations for missing BACs provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation's multiple imputation model.
Subramanian, R. 2002. Transitioning to multiple imputation — a new method to impute missing blood alcohol concentration (BAC) values in FARS. Report no. DOT HS-809-403. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Data subsections:

Trends

The percentage of fatally injured drivers with BACs at or above 0.08 percent declined steadily from 49 percent in 1982 to 33 percent in 1994 (a 32 percent decline). This percentage has declined more gradually since 1994 and was 28 percent in 2017. Among drivers and pedestrians killed in crashes in 2017, drivers of large trucks had the lowest proportion of BACs at or above 0.08 percent (4 percent) and pedestrians ages 16 and older had the highest proportion (33 percent).

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured people with BACs ≥ 0.08 percent by type, 1982-2017

Year

All drivers

Passenger vehicle drivers

Large truck drivers

Motorcycle drivers

Pedestrians (age ≥16)

Deaths

Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08

Deaths

Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08

Deaths

Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08

Deaths

Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08

Deaths

Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.08

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

1982

24,690

12,139

49

19,664

10,024

51

735

123

17

3,876

1,842

48

5,993

2,668

45

1983

24,138

11,543

48

19,338

9,529

49

767

115

15

3,727

1,811

49

5,582

2,486

45

1984

25,589

11,499

45

20,300

9,379

46

859

107

12

4,055

1,870

46

5,755

2,439

42

1985

25,337

10,685

42

20,058

8,674

43

775

84

11

4,021

1,780

44

5,539

2,263

41

1986

26,630

11,409

43

21,503

9,396

44

736

58

8

4,019

1,846

46

5,547

2,242

40

1987

26,833

11,058

41

22,157

9,343

42

686

53

8

3,590

1,549

43

5,597

2,176

39

1988

27,253

11,103

41

22,884

9,580

42

743

66

9

3,281

1,374

42

5,701

2,162

38

1989

26,389

10,637

40

22,554

9,200

41

681

68

10

2,780

1,262

45

5,557

2,186

39

1990

25,750

10,395

40

21,953

8,973

41

570

50

9

2,895

1,261

44

5,488

2,137

39

1991

23,930

9,485

40

20,551

8,242

40

550

39

7

2,496

1,092

44

4,880

1,895

39

1992

22,584

8,452

37

19,573

7,434

38

506

26

5

2,172

889

41

4,734

1,861

39

1993

23,142

8,322

36

20,036

7,328

37

504

26

5

2,212

850

38

4,740

1,856

39

1994

23,691

7,913

33

20,647

7,083

34

545

36

7

2,092

692

33

4,637

1,718

37

1995

24,390

8,307

34

21,457

7,488

35

546

31

6

2,020

681

34

4,783

1,793

37

1996

24,534

8,175

33

21,631

7,336

34

525

34

6

1,962

700

36

4,670

1,804

39

1997

24,667

7,843

32

21,711

7,069

33

616

19

3

1,937

640

33

4,621

1,638

35

1998

24,743

7,834

32

21,627

6,944

32

628

30

5

2,089

736

35

4,597

1,678

37

1999

25,257

7,918

31

21,899

6,994

32

631

28

4

2,286

753

33

4,325

1,646

38

2000

25,567

8,166

32

21,819

7,127

33

641

28

4

2,651

859

32

4,192

1,534

37

2001

25,869

8,252

32

21,862

7,205

33

591

22

4

2,953

872

30

4,368

1,558

36

2002

26,659

8,515

32

22,537

7,381

33

582

38

7

3,031

957

32

4,367

1,584

36

2003

26,779

8,354

31

22,200

7,120

32

608

23

4

3,423

1,024

30

4,298

1,560

36

2004

26,871

8,155

30

21,952

6,952

32

624

24

4

3,711

1,022

28

4,237

1,528

36

2005

27,491

8,489

31

21,953

7,104

32

663

22

3

4,253

1,172

28

4,458

1,559

35

2006

27,348

8,578

31

21,592

7,164

33

678

30

4

4,492

1,204

27

4,384

1,656

38

2007

26,570

8,617

32

20,542

7,057

34

663

17

3

4,853

1,357

28

4,305

1,587

37

2008

24,254

7,961

33

18,266

6,280

34

534

19

4

4,970

1,488

30

4,069

1,545

38

2009

21,835

7,213

33

16,834

5,791

34

399

16

4

4,163

1,237

30

3,811

1,401

37

2010

21,072

6,579

31

16,029

5,177

32

426

17

4

4,207

1,205

29

3,988

1,410

35

2011

20,815

6,524

31

15,561

5,064

33

493

9

2

4,341

1,301

30

4,175

1,544

37

2012

21,490

6,735

31

15,915

5,204

33

524

14

3

4,652

1,354

29

4,501

1,626

36

2013

20,944

6,548

31

15,577

5,108

33

529

17

3

4,422

1,253

28

4,479

1,586

35

2014

20,788

6,387

31

15,495

4,906

32

536

16

3

4,318

1,286

30

4,629

1,596

34

2015

22,348

6,376

29

16,629

4,916

30

536

16

3

4,732

1,269

27

5,183

1,772

34

2016

23,715

6,681

28

17,641

5,149

29

590

17

3

4,998

1,334

27

5,726

1,968

34

2017

23,611

6,618

28

17,662

5,065

29

607

27

4

4,885

1,357

28

5,657

1,884

33

The percentage of fatally injured drivers with BACs of 0.15 percent or higher has declined 43 percent since 1982. Twenty-one percent of passenger vehicle drivers killed in 2017 had BACs at or above 0.15 percent compared with 17 percent of fatally injured motorcycle drivers. A higher percentage of pedestrians (25 percent) killed in crashes had BACs at or above 0.15 percent than did any group of drivers.

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured people with BACs ≥ 0.15 percent by type, 1982-2017

Year

All drivers

Passenger vehicle drivers

Large truck drivers

Motorcycle drivers

Pedestrians (age ≥16)

Deaths

Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.15

Deaths

Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.15

Deaths

Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.15

Deaths

Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.15

Deaths

Estimated deaths with BACs ≥ 0.15

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

1982

24,690

8,660

35

19,664

7,328

37

735

75

10

3,876

1,154

30

5,993

2,077

35

1983

24,138

8,240

34

19,338

6,969

36

767

79

10

3,727

1,131

30

5,582

1,945

35

1984

25,589

8,203

32

20,300

6,864

34

859

70

8

4,055

1,161

29

5,755

1,886

33

1985

25,337

7,521

30

20,058

6,269

31

775

55

7

4,021

1,097

27

5,539

1,732

31

1986

26,630

8,077

30

21,503

6,783

32

736

34

5

4,019

1,189

30

5,547

1,730

31

1987

26,833

7,968

30

22,157

6,854

31

686

34

5

3,590

997

28

5,597

1,735

31

1988

27,253

8,114

30

22,884

7,126

31

743

45

6

3,281

887

27

5,701

1,688

30

1989

26,389

7,774

29

22,554

6,847

30

681

49

7

2,780

806

29

5,557

1,706

31

1990

25,750

7,631

30

21,953

6,670

30

570

32

6

2,895

844

29

5,488

1,697

31

1991

23,930

7,014

29

20,551

6,192

30

550

24

4

2,496

719

29

4,880

1,512

31

1992

22,584

6,258

28

19,573

5,569

28

506

17

3

2,172

603

28

4,734

1,474

31

1993

23,142

6,104

26

20,036

5,494

27

504

14

3

2,212

521

24

4,740

1,499

32

1994

23,691

5,849

25

20,647

5,326

26

545

27

5

2,092

427

20

4,637

1,355

29

1995

24,390

6,018

25

21,457

5,495

26

546

19

3

2,020

426

21

4,783

1,394

29

1996

24,534

5,925

24

21,631

5,383

25

525

18

4

1,962

452

23

4,670

1,433

31

1997

24,667

5,668

23

21,711

5,164

24

616

14

2

1,937

412

21

4,621

1,329

29

1998

24,743

5,692

23

21,627

5,127

24

628

23

4

2,089

464

22

4,597

1,332

29

1999

25,257

5,678

22

21,899

5,108

23

631

22

3

2,286

451

20

4,325

1,292

30

2000

25,567

5,801

23

21,819

5,138

24

641

10

2

2,651

546

21

4,192

1,204

29

2001

25,869

5,976

23

21,862

5,328

24

591

17

3

2,953

535

18

4,368

1,232

28

2002

26,659

6,146

23

22,537

5,463

24

582

23

4

3,031

575

19

4,367

1,267

29

2003

26,779

6,010

22

22,200

5,258

24

608

15

2

3,423

618

18

4,298

1,254

29

2004

26,871

5,837

22

21,952

5,089

23

624

16

2

3,711

629

17

4,237

1,195

28

2005

27,491

6,073

22

21,953

5,220

24

663

14

2

4,253

704

17

4,458

1,246

28

2006

27,348

6,101

22

21,592

5,248

24

678

18

3

4,492

713

16

4,384

1,324

30

2007

26,570

6,275

24

20,542

5,272

26

663

11

2

4,853

860

18

4,305

1,269

29

2008

24,254

5,844

24

18,266

4,792

26

534

13

3

4,970

925

19

4,069

1,243

31

2009

21,835

5,219

24

16,834

4,324

26

399

12

3

4,163

760

18

3,811

1,115

29

2010

21,072

4,881

23

16,029

3,964

25

426

10

2

4,207

774

18

3,988

1,141

29

2011

20,815

4,705

23

15,561

3,804

24

493

4

1

4,341

801

18

4,175

1,223

29

2012

21,490

5,008

23

15,915

3,998

25

524

11

2

4,652

884

19

4,501

1,281

28

2013

20,944

4,817

23

15,577

3,905

25

529

8

1

4,422

778

18

4,479

1,272

28

2014

20,788

4,748

23

15,495

3,779

24

536

13

2

4,318

830

19

4,629

1,282

28

2015

22,348

4,603

21

16,629

3,693

22

536

11

2

4,732

771

16

5,183

1,413

27

2016

23,715

4,825

20

17,641

3,875

22

590

11

2

4,998

815

16

5,726

1,552

27

2017

23,611

4,722

20

17,662

3,746

21

607

19

3

4,885

835

17

5,657

1,437

25

Age and gender

Among fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers in 2017, a higher proportion of males than females had BACs at or above 0.08 percent at every age. Overall, 32 percent of males and 20 percent of females had BACs at or above 0.08 percent. The percentage was highest among males ages 21-30. The lowest percentage was observed among females older than 70. Drivers younger than age 21 who were killed in crashes had far lower percentages of BACs of 0.08 percent or greater than drivers ages 21-30 who died: 22 percent versus 42 percent in 2017.

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08 percent by driver age and gender, 2017

Age

Male

Female

Total*

Drivers killed

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08

Drivers killed

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08

Drivers killed

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

16-20

1,009

253

25

464

76

16

1,475

329

22

21-30

2,949

1,334

45

1,071

362

34

4,021

1,696

42

31-40

2,062

884

43

751

212

28

2,814

1,096

39

41-50

1,589

595

37

673

151

22

2,263

746

33

51-60

1,772

543

31

719

123

17

2,491

666

27

61-70

1,346

270

20

602

55

9

1,948

325

17

>70

1,742

150

9

858

46

5

2,600

196

8

Total*

12,500

4,037

32

5,151

1,026

20

17,662

5,065

29

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Among fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers in 2017, 24 percent of males and 15 percent of females had BACs at or above 0.15 percent.

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with BACs ≥ 0.15 percent by driver age and gender, 2017

Age

Male

Female

Total*

Drivers killed

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.15

Drivers killed

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.15

Drivers killed

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.15

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

16-20

1,009

173

17

464

50

11

1,475

223

15

21-30

2,949

971

33

1,071

265

25

4,021

1,236

31

31-40

2,062

671

33

751

166

22

2,814

837

30

41-50

1,589

454

29

673

117

17

2,263

570

25

51-60

1,772

411

23

719

93

13

2,491

504

20

61-70

1,346

198

15

602

39

7

1,948

237

12

>70

1,742

100

6

858

31

4

2,600

131

5

Total*

12,500

2,983

24

5,151

761

15

17,662

3,746

21

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Since the 1980s the percentage of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with BACs at or above 0.08 percent has declined more among 16-20 year-olds than among older drivers. The percentage of fatally injured 16-20 year-old passenger vehicle drivers with BACs at or above 0.08 percent now is substantially lower than drivers ages 21-50.

When alcohol-impaired crashes occur

Alcohol involvement in fatal crashes peaks at night. Between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., 52 percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers in 2017 had BACs at or above 0.08 percent, compared with 17 percent during other hours.

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with high BACs by nighttime vs. other times, 2017

Time of day

Drivers killed

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.15

Number

Number

%

Number

%

9 p.m. - 6 a.m.

5,811

3,000

52

2,254

39

Other hours

11,851

2,064

17

1,492

13

Total

17,662

5,065

29

3,746

21

The three-hour period with the highest percentage of driver fatalities with BACs of 0.08 percent or higher is midnight to 3 a.m.

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with high BACs by time of day, 2017

Time of day

Drivers killed

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.15

Number

Number

%

Number

%

Midnight - 3 a.m.

2,050

1,277

62

984

48

3 a.m. - 6 a.m.

1,593

705

44

497

31

6 a.m. - 9 a.m.

2,110

276

13

184

9

9 a.m. - noon

1,880

154

8

104

6

Noon - 3 p.m.

2,534

278

11

204

8

3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

2,849

505

18

367

13

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

2,324

776

33

580

25

9 p.m. - midnight

2,168

1,019

47

772

36

Total*

17,662

5,065

29

3,746

21

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Forty percent of passenger vehicle drivers fatally injured on weekends (6 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday) in 2017 had BACs at or above 0.08 percent, compared with 21 percent at other times.

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with high BACs by weekend vs. other times, 2017

Drivers killed

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.08

Estimated drivers killed with BACs ≥ 0.15

Number

Number

%

Number

%

Weekend (6 p.m. Friday - 6 a.m. Monday)

6,742

2,719

40

2,023

30

Other times

10,920

2,346

21

1,723

16

Total

17,662

5,065

29

3,746

21

Alcohol involvement is very high in fatal nighttime (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) single-vehicle crashes. In 2017, 61 percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers in these crashes had BACs at or above 0.08 percent, and 46 percent had BACs at or above 0.15 percent. Six percent had BACs of 0.01 to 0.07 percent.

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers by BAC, time, and crash type, 2017